U.S. High Commissioner Asked to Cancel Order Affecting Jewish Dp’s in Austria

December 22, 1949

MUNICH (Dec. 21)

Henry Ortner, HIAS director for Germany and Austria, has protested to John J. McCloy, American High Commissioner for Germany, against a recent ruling of the Austrian Government that all DP’s in that country will be required to register with the Austrian police, it was reported here today. The protest was submitted through Major Abraham Hyman, adviser on Jewish affairs to the High Commissioner.

Mr. Ortner’s protest pointed out that the Austrian ruling would place the Jews under the jurisdiction of the same forces which had once oppressed them. Mr. Ortner asked Commissioner McCloy’s intervention to have the order rescinded, asserting that it gave the civil police in Austria powers which were too wide–the right to enter DP camps without the prior permission of any other authorities and the right to arrest inmates of DP camps.